Debbie Wibowo

{Oh, The Places You'll Go}

31 October 2011

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

comments: 0

{Have a good day, Ink}

29 October 2011

We recently read a book titled "It's all about Ink and Wink". It is about three friends (the other one is Blink who only shows up in 2 pages of the book) who are bored at home, decide to play ball until they kick each other and call it quit. It is quite funny.

Whenever we read the book, Jo would pretend to be Ink and I got to be Wink. E got to be Blink who eventually kicks himself in the head. LOL.

This is the morning ritual of Ink.

Wake her up at 6:30 am

10 minutes later....

6:55 - 7:05 am

7:05 - 7:15 am
Breakfast is usually a choice of cereal with fresh fruits, pancakes, bun, scramble eggs with toast, or raisin bread.

It was raining that day, so an umbrella was necessary.

Finally ready to hit the road.

comments: 1

{52 on Friday: Think Pink}

28 October 2011

Week 42 on Bloom Forum. This week's theme is Think Pink, in support of breast cancer awareness.

Dealing with illness is never easy. I am having a hard time seeing this in my family. When tough time hits, the only thing that keeps me going is the love from family, friends, and strangers or friends of friends.

So here's to love. Happy Friday!

Please continue the circle. Head over to the blog of Kate of The Rancher's Wife's Photography.

comments: 4

{You are a Peach}

23 October 2011

comments: 0

{52 on Friday: Breeze/Wind}

21 October 2011

It's week 41 (wow) and the theme is Breeze/Wind. Please go to the Bloom Forum for more details about this project.

I am hoping for a lot of wind during Summer, but please not so much during Winter. :)

Twelve other amazing photographers are participating in this week's theme. I can't wait to see what they come up with. Let's start with Kate of The Rancher's Wife's Photography.

comments: 8

{My Little Girl}

15 October 2011

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{When God Closed One Door}

13 October 2011

I presented a workshop at a library last Tuesday. Fifteen minutes after we started, the library had a fire drill (whyyy todaaay???). We all had to go out and waited for almost 20 minutes. I was all worried that the participants would just leave. Then I saw a young gentleman with a vibrant smile approaching me.

He said, "I met you before!"
I said (insert the look of a so surprised face here), "Oh! Really? Oh! Sorry, could you remind me where we met?"
He said, "We met at Bellevue (NYU Program for Survivors of Torture). You had a presentation and you promised to send a copy of your presentation."
I said, "Oh! (again!). Right! I am so very sorry (Shoot!). I promise I will send it tomorrow (make a mental note!)"

Then we continued to talk. He shared with me that he is from Central Africa. This October 17th will mark his 1st year living in New York. "Do you like NY?" I asked. He said, I love it! "I never imagined that I could meet with people from all over the world here." He continued that he started working as a coordinator for a human rights non-profit in his home country and made his way up to Executive Director. I asked what was the biggest human rights violation in Central Africa. "People use rape as a weapon of war," he said. "So we worked with rape victims and orphan children. There are so many conflicts in my country and so many children have lost their parents."

His work and big heart of helping others resulted death threats because his government apparently thinks that he was working for opposition parties. His good intention of working for a good cause forced him to flee and ask for asylum in the U.S. His parents and siblings are still in his home country. He said he is worried about them but can only pray. "I have been looking for jobs but I just don't know how to do it," he said.

I asked, "If you are not working, how do you survive?" He smiled, looked at my eyes and said, "I don't know. I just don't know. Don't ask me how do I survive because I just don't know. But I know that if God has closed one door, He would have opened another door."

The library staff allowed us to enter the building again. I finished my presentation, did send him the power point, and his last words still ringing in my head.

comments: 0

{Bring it on, Mr. Sun!}

12 October 2011

Last Saturday was such a gorgeous day so we decided to hit Central Park. Jo was a little grumpy in the beginning because the train took a while, she was a little hungry, and it was a little hot according to her. She back to her normal self after some snack and racing game. She even pretended that she was a teacher, E and I were the student and we went on a field trip and that we were supposed to hold hands. LOL.

I used to shy away from shooting during a broad day light. Well, not anymore. Ha! So, bring it on Mr. Sun!

comments: 1

{Fall}

09 October 2011

Ashokan Dreams was not my first choice when I was looking for Bed & Breakfast in Catskill. But since all the other B&B that I had interest in were fully booked, we decided to try this one. Their website doesn't provide many pictures so I was a little worried. The owner, however, was very lovely so that made me feel welcomed already. We got there and my, oh my...I immediately fell in love with the place. Turned out that Ashokan Dreams is really a dream place to be.

Old coffee can, old books, Singer sewing machine, horse saddle, old trunk, vintage cabinet .. and I could just go on. And the view... sigh... The view is just amazing.

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{52 on Friday: Reflection}

07 October 2011

This week's theme on Bloom Forum is Reflection. Of course my immediate thought was mirror, water, anything that can reflect. But then I was astounded to learn that Steve Jobs passed away on Wednesday. I realized that life is full of colors but also it is delicate, soft, and fragile life.

Having only an iPod touch perhaps doesn't count me as an Apple addict (though I've been thinking of getting an iPhone) but I admire him for his vision, leadership, his strategies, and his views on life. He didn't allow self pity or bitterness and chose to look the series of unfortunate events from the positive angle.

My mom once said that you can measure a man by how many people that mourn him on the day he died. It gives me a chill to read that so many people pay wonderful tribute to Jobs.

I feel that his life is a good reflection on how we can live our life. Sometimes I take pictures to please people, to be acknowledged, to get comments. This, has taken away my vision. So I am learning to trust myself, my instinct and what I believe rather than allowing myself being carried away by the mainstream. I think it is good to be one of crazy ones. The hardest part is that I am still learning to see the series of unfortunate events as dots that can lead to a better future. I think this quote matches perfectly with his Standford commencement speech.

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
― Søren Kierkegaard -

Happy Friday. It will be warm and sunny in New York. Hope you'll have lots of sun in your life too. Please continue the circle by visiting the talented Melissa Deakin. Her take on this week's theme is amazing!

comments: 3

{Dirty Books}

06 October 2011

I got an email from Jo's teacher. She said her reading level is H level, which is above average for a first grader at this time of the year (insert silly proud momma smiling face here).

The books in the pictures belong to my mom. She used to study English literacy and that books are way older than me.

A dirty book is rarely dusty. ~Author Unknown

comments: 1

{Hello Fall}

04 October 2011

We headed to Catskill last weekend. I would say we were brave because the weather suddenly dropped to about 55 F, in addition to cloudy sky and light shower. I was able to secure a reservation at a lovely Bed and Breakfast in the last minute. We took the Catskill Mountain Railroad. Too bad that recent flood caused by Hurricane Irene caused the train to close half of the route. But we still had fun and really enjoyed the scenery.

E took the pics of me and Jo. Blame him if the pics are blurry. I noticed that he focused in the middle rather than on me or Jo. LOL.